The ruins of Selinunte are some of the most impressive ruins in Sicily and are-more atmospherically situated than those at Agrigento. The huge city was built (628 BC) on hills immediately above the sea, and for two-and-a-half centuries it was one of the richest and most powerful in the world. The spectacular remains of its many temples are proof of its influence. It was destroyed by the Carthaginians in 409 BC and finally fell t» the Romans in about 350 BC when it went into rapid decline and disappeared from historical accounts, Its temples were then further damaged by earthquakes.

The excavated area is divided into four zones, starting off from the east: the eastern hill with its group of temples; the Acropolis; the ancient city; and the Sanctuary of Malophoros. Besides its great cultural interest, the surrounding landscape is very beautiful, and there are lovely views of the sea.

The ruins are extremely impressive: vast fragments of Doric columns have been hurled about in .all directions and colossal piles of carved marble lie where once the massive temples stood. The city's past is so remote that the names of the various temples have been forgotten and they are now identified by the letters A to G, M and O.

The Acropolis

Lies on a bluff right over the sea, between the Selino river to the west and the Gorgo Cotone river to the east. Their mouths once formed the city harbour, now silted up. The Acropolis was surrounded by colossal stone walls 3 m (10 ft) high, with two gates, the larger one on the northern side. This area contained the public buildings and temples, all facing east. From the southern end, the first places are the sparse ruins of Temples O and A, close together and much alike. This similarity is perhaps due to the fact that they were both dedicated to Castor and Pollux. There were originally 6 columns along the short sides and 14 on the longer ones. Further on you come to the small Hellenistic Temple B. which was perhaps dedicated to Empedocles, the philosopher and scientist from Agrigento who may have supervised the drainage operations in the area. Temple C is the most ancient on the Acropolis. It was dedicated to Apollo and had 6 columns on the short sides and 17 on the long ones. The pediment was decorated with superb metopes, three of which are now kept in the Museo Archeologico in Palermo.

In 1925-6, 14 columns on the northern side and on part of the architrave were reconstructed. Seeing these among the other blocks of massive columns placed here and there around the ancient sacred precinct is quite an impressive sight.

Temple D is also reduced to a state of fragmentary ruins. The Acropolis area was divided by two main perpendicular streets, which can be reached by means of stone steps.

The eastern hill.

The sacred precinct has remains of three temples set parallel to one another at the entrance to the archaeological zone. In ancient times it was surrounded by an enclosure. The partially reconstructed Temple E was built in the pure Doric style. An inscription on a votive stele found in 1865 shows that it was dedicated to Hera (Juno). Its 68 columns still support part of the trabeation.

An eight-step stairway leads to Temple F, the smallest and most badly damaged of the three. It was built in the archaic style, surrounded by 36 columns which were more than 9 m (29 ft) high. The vestibule had a second row of columns, and the lower part of the peristyle was enclosed by a wall.

The size of Temple G was 110.36 by 50.10 m (362 by 164 ft). Today it is only a huge mass of stones, in the middle of which stands a column, which was restored in 1832. It was dedicated to Apollo, but its construction was never completed.

The Ancient City

On the Collina di Manuzza hill north of the Acropolis, the ancient city has been the subject of archaeological excavations only in recent years. After the destruction of the city in 409 BC, this ancient part was used as a necropolis by those inhabitants who remained.

Malophoros Sanctuary

Situated west of the Selino river, about a kilometre (half a mile) away from the Acropolis, the Malophoros Sanctuary is extremely old and perhaps was founded even before the city itself.

The main building in this sanctuary is enclosed by walls and was dedicated to a female divinity, Malophoros (meaning "bearer of pomegranate"), the goddess of fertility, many statuettes of whom have been found in the vicinity. According to experts, the sanctuary was a stopping point on the long, impressive funeral processions making their way to the Manicalunga necropolis.